The campfire had burned down to nothing but glowing coals by the time they stumbled back in.
Nobody talked.
Nobody even breathed right.
The forest was quiet, too… and somehow that made it worse. Like the whole world was holding its breath, waiting to see what they would do now that Aranea was gone.
Elenea was the first to break.
Her knees hit the dirt and she sobbed loud, choking sobs that tore out of her like they were being dragged from her chest.
Beau dropped beside her instantly, arms around her shoulders. "She's okay. She has to be okay. Aranea doesn't go down easy," he whispered, but his voice shook too much to convince anyone. "We know that… right? She always has that spunk! I…"
The way the flirty Beau's voice faltered made it seem like he was also unconvinced and that fact did not even escape the others.
All of them are worried. Not just Beau.
